It’s cold and flu season. Are you helping or stressing your body’s natural immune system?
The holidays are upon us and unless you live in southern areas of the country or the tropics, the weather has turned brutally cold and your immune system is under attack. Even in the areas where milder weather is the norm, crowded malls, and shopping centers, colleagues with colds and kids with the flu can bring an unwelcome chance of infection into your life.
So what do you do to fight the stressors on your immune system?
There are a number of things you can do to assist your body in its attempt to protect you from infection.
Get enough sleep
You’re more likely to catch a cold or other infection when you’re not getting enough sleep. An experiment done at the University of Chicago bears this out. Students were limited to four hours of sleep per night for six nights and then given a flu vaccine, their immune systems made only half the normal number of antibodies. How much sleep per night 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night is considered “enough”.
Exercise
Regular moderate exercise can help boost your immune system and in turn, help you fight infection. What do I mean by regular and moderate? How about a daily 30-minute walk? Exercise can also increase your endorphins and help you sleep better.
Eat a healthy diet
Did you know eating or drinking too much sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria? This effect lasts for at least a few hours after downing a couple of sugary drinks. Read more about hidden sugar content in foods considered to be good for you!
Eat more fruits and vegetables and include foods that are particularly good for your immune system in your diet. Garlic, for example, may help fight bacteria and viruses. Also some mushroom varieties like reishi, shiitake and maitake may help your immune system.
Reduce Stress
We all have some stress in our lives but when that stress becomes chronic it’s a problem.
While you may not be able to get rid of your stress, there are ways to mitigate it. Learning to meditate, working out and connecting with others are all ways to blow off steam.
“Humor” your immune system
Maintaining your sense of humor will not only help you battle stress it will help you boost your immune system. Laughing is good for you. It curbs the levels of stress hormones in your body and boosts a type of white blood cell that fights infection.
Laughing is good for you. It curbs the levels of stress hormones in your body and boosts a type of white blood cell that fights infection.
Prevention and Remedies
There are many natural remedies that are purported to boost your immune system for prevention and fight infection as well. That is not to discount the value of a seasonal flu shot. Flu shots are especially important if you are an older individual or immunocompromised. Prevention in all forms should be considered in order to keep from contracting an infection or the flu.
Your body will thank you and you will have a much healthier happier holiday season!
